Abbotsford CPA serving the Fraser ValleyMon–Fri 9:00am–5:00pm (604) 832-1743info@everstonecpa.com
Home › For Contractors
Trades & construction · Fraser Valley

The Accountant for Incorporated Contractors

You’re on site all day — not chasing receipts. EverStone CPA looks after the corporate tax, T5018s, GST and books for contractors and trades across Abbotsford and the Fraser Valley, at fixed fees quoted up front. See what it costs.

Built for the trades

An accountant who understands contracting

Contracting isn’t like other businesses. Income lands in lumps, materials and equipment eat cash, subcontractors need T5018s, and the CRA looks hard at subcontractor-versus-employee arrangements. Your accounting should be built around that reality — not a generic template.

EverStone works with incorporated electricians, plumbers, framers, excavators, finishers and GCs across the Fraser Valley. One CPA handles your year-end, your filings and your questions — all year, for a fixed fee.

Get your fixed quote

What contractors get

The full package, one fixed fee
  • T2 corporate tax & year-end statements
  • T5018 subcontractor information returns
  • GST/PST filed & reconciled
  • Bookkeeping that handles job costs & equipment
  • Salary-vs-dividend planning every year
  • CRA correspondence handled for you
Where contractors leak money

The problems we fix

The patterns we see on almost every new contractor file.

Missed instalments & deadlines

Lumpy income makes tax instalments easy to miss — and CRA interest adds up fast. We plan your instalments around your cash flow.

Unclaimed write-offs

Vehicle, tools, home office, equipment CCA — contractors routinely leave deductions on the table. We capture them properly and defensibly.

Subcontractor vs. employee risk

The CRA reclassifying your subs as employees is expensive. We structure and document arrangements the right way from the start.

GST filed late or wrong

Progress billing and holdbacks make GST messy. We reconcile it to your books and file on schedule, every time.

Books that don’t match the bank

DIY books drift. We keep yours reconciled monthly so year-end is painless and lenders get numbers they trust.

Paying yourself inefficiently

The wrong salary/dividend mix quietly costs thousands a year. We optimize it annually as part of your engagement.

How it works

From first call to filed

Three steps, mostly handled online around your schedule.

1

Free consult

Tell us about your operation — structure, subs, backlog. You get a fixed quote in writing.

2

We take over the paperwork

Books, GST, T5018s, payroll and year-end — handled. You get plain-English updates, not jargon.

3

You keep building

Filed on time, optimized every year, and a CPA on call when decisions come up.

Trades we work with

Accounting for your trade, specifically

Every trade has its own tax quirks. We know them.

Electricians

Tool and equipment write-offs, van/CCA claims, and progress-billing GST handled cleanly — whether you’re a one-owner shop or running a crew.

Plumbers & HVAC

Inventory and parts, warranty holdbacks and multi-job costing tracked properly, so your margins are visible and your GST is right.

Framers & general contractors

Subcontractor T5018s, holdback accounting and sub-versus-employee risk managed — the areas the CRA scrutinizes most in construction.

Excavation & site work

Heavy-equipment depreciation, fuel and repair tracking, and financing structured so big-ticket purchases work in your favour at tax time.

Painters & finishing trades

Materials, mileage between jobs and seasonal cash flow planned around, with instalments timed so lumpy income never catches you out.

Landscaping & concrete

Seasonal payroll, equipment CCA and GST on mixed supply-and-install work handled — and WorkSafeBC remittances kept on schedule.

Know the rule

The T5018 deadline, explained

If more than half your business income comes from construction and you pay subcontractors, the CRA requires an annual T5018 Statement of Contract Payments. It’s due six months after your reporting-period end — and you can report on either a calendar or fiscal-year basis, whichever suits your books.

Miss it and the CRA levies penalties per slip. We track your subcontractor payments through the year, file the T5018 on time, and keep your records ready in case the CRA asks questions — it’s part of your engagement, not an add-on.

Get your T5018 handled

T5018 at a glance

Who: construction businesses paying subcontractors.

Due: 6 months after your calendar- or fiscal-year reporting period ends · Penalty: charged per late or missing slip.

WorkSafeBC too

We keep your WorkSafeBC (WCB) payroll reporting and remittances on schedule alongside your GST and source deductions.

Across the valley

Serving trades across the Fraser Valley

Local, and on your schedule — wherever your jobs take you.

Common questions

Contractor tax FAQ

Do I need to file a T5018 for my subcontractors?+
If your business earns more than 50% of its income from construction activities and you pay subcontractors, the CRA requires you to file a T5018 information return each year. We prepare and file T5018s as part of your engagement and keep your subcontractor records CRA-ready.
Should I pay myself salary or dividends from my incorporated contracting business?+
It depends on your income level, CPP goals, mortgage plans and family situation. We run the salary-vs-dividend numbers for your specific case every year as part of your corporate engagement — it’s included, not extra.
Can you help me catch up if I’m behind on bookkeeping or tax filings?+
Yes — catch-up work is a big part of what we do for trades. We rebuild your books, prepare outstanding T2s and GST returns, and where appropriate use the CRA Voluntary Disclosures Program to reduce penalties.
What does an accountant cost for a contractor in the Fraser Valley?+
A standalone T2 return starts at $800 — from $1,200 with year-end financial statements — and monthly bookkeeping from $300 per month. Everything is a fixed fee quoted up front — see our pricing page or book a free consult for your exact number.
Can I write off my truck as a contractor?+
Usually, yes — but how depends on ownership and use. A vehicle used for your business can be written off through capital cost allowance (CCA) plus operating costs like fuel, insurance and repairs, pro-rated for business versus personal kilometres. Trucks over a certain weight or clearly work-only vehicles get more favourable treatment. We set up the right method and keep the mileage records the CRA expects, so the deduction sticks.
Fixed feesClear, fixed pricing — you approve the fee before any work begins. No surprise bills.
One dayWe reply to every enquiry within one business day — usually the same day.
CPA-ledEvery file is handled personally by a CPA — never passed to junior staff.
No obligationYour first consultation is free, with zero pressure and no obligation.
What clients say

Trusted by Canadian business owners

Verified 5-star Google reviews from EverStone CPA clients.

★★★★★

“Very knowledgeable — saved me tons in taxes by restructuring my group of companies. The best accountant I have worked with in the last 10 years, after switching from 3 different accounting firms.”

Matt Hildebrandt
Verified Google Review
★★★★★

“Highly recommend. We switched last year for both our personal and small business taxes — easy and seamless. Responsive, knowledgeable, and quick.”

Heather Powers
Verified Google Review
★★★★★

“Personal. Professional. Responsive. Plus he saved me a bundle!”

Corrin Skalbeck
Verified Google Review

Get your evenings back

Book a free consultation — bring your questions, your backlog, or both. You’ll leave with a clear fixed quote and a plan.